Category: Student Life

When we are children, we have dreams of what we will be when we grow up. Our dreams usually begin with becoming a movie star, Wonder Woman, Superman or Malibu Barbie. As we begin to grow up, sometimes our dreams change, sometimes because we have changed, or sometimes because the world has told us we need to change our dreams. If your dream has always been to be a hairstylist, I am here to tell you that you don’t have to change your dreams.

What I have come to realize after over 30 years in our beloved industry (10 of it as a hair journalist) is that many people, ladies and gents alike need to be educated, not only about their hair and what products they should use, but about our industry as well. That there is more to a Salon than hair being cut and colored and manicures being done while everyone drinks coffee and talks about the newest celebrity couple.

Our beloved Hair Biz (as I like to call it) is a Billion dollar business, year after year. It is an industry that guarantee’s an income – if you do the work. It is an industry that is always changing and evolving and improving. There is always something new to learn, be it a new formulation, a new cutting technique or a better way to retain your clientele. The companies that support the industry offer free product knowledge classes, free cutting classes, and free hair color classes.

It is an industry that embraces the up and comers and celebrates the achievements of salons and stylists alike. It is an industry where education is key. On a daily basis, stylists deal with the science of hair and the chemistry of hair color and perms, how to manage their clientele, their budget, their time, their retail, all the while looking fabulous without a hair out of place. As a stylist, you should always be proud of what you do and always remember how much you have learned, retained and applied. Beauty and brains is a killer combo.

Being a hair stylist, as Tabatha Coffey has put it, is more than just about hair. It is about making personal connections with your clients. Helping them through life’s trial and celebrating life’s achievements. It’s about helping the ladies and gents who sit in your chair find their beauty, inside and out. It’s an industry that helps you grow as person, as an artist and with some blood, sweat and tears – a thriving business professional.

If you have a passion for what you do, as I do, it won’t feel like work. Don’t get me wrong, some days your feet will hurt, some days will be more trying than others – ie; color correction thanks to box dye and a bad break up, but at the end of the day, when you are living your dream and following your passion, it won’t feel like work.

The Beauty Industry is one of the only industries I know that at the end of the day you have made someone look and feel like a movie star, made a woman feel as beautiful as she thought her Malibu Barbie was and you yourself, feel like Wonder Woman or Superman. I don’t know about you, but I think that is pretty awesome. Come and join us.

Guest author Barb Quinn has been a professional hairstylist for over 30 years and has established herself as a nationally recognized hair designer, educator, and freelance writer. Barb has been chosen by her peers to serve on the advisory panel of Cosmos C International the global hairstylist network and is the Men’s Hair Category Expert for Answers.com. Thousands of women each day follow Barb’s hairstyling wit and wisdom on her highly successful blogs Hairstyle-Blog.com and Visual-Makeover.com.

EQ School of Hair Design holds semi annual Job Fairs. Employers from leading area salons are invited to the school. Each student has an opportunity to meet with the Owner/Manager from each salon to hear about the benefits of working for that particular salon.

State Wide Student Competition sponsored by the Iowa Cosmetology School Association

EQ School of Hair Design students enthusiastically participate in the Des Moines Competition every year. It gives our students a chance to show case their creativity within the realms of hairstyling, makeup, nails and clothing design.

The competition is open to all Cosmetology schools in the state of Iowa and we LOVE to show off our student stylists! This event is attended by several hundred stylists and owners from the state of Iowa and is a good way for our students to network with potential employers.

Students are informed about 2 months in advance of the competition category and must create a look falling within competition guidelines. The activities leading up to this in the school include school competitions and special classes presented by seasoned veterans in the industry to show our students how to compete to the best of their ability.

At EQ School of Hair Design we have several teams participate every year and have placed in the top three on more than one occasion. This is excellent experience for those students wishing to pursue platform or session styling.

The students learn the importance of team work and creativity and have a great time in the process!!

EQ School of Hair Design students were overjoyed to style hair for Omaha Fashion Week spring 2013 and Fall 2013. Spring 2014 was a huge success and we are already on board to style for Fall 2014 OFW for Hannah Caroline Couture and Kate Walz-Designer labels.This helps students prepare for future runway and fashion work! Students also volunteered backstage and in as greeters for ticket holders at the event.

EQ School of Hair Design Student Council hosts the annual summer Student Outing at Lake Manawa. Mother nature can always make this an exciting day. Students enjoy a catered lunch, and an afternoon of various games and swimming. The EQ School of Hair Design staff, in keeping with tradition is unbeaten in challenging the students in a “friendly” game of Volleyball. It is always a fun day.

Annually, EQ School of Hair Design students attend “Chart Your Course” at the school. This gives students the opportunity to explore career choices other than being a salon designer that services clients in a salon. Each student is able to speak first hand with a platform artist, makeup artist, educator, funeral home director, designer, product distributor owner. It is a great experience for all students and gives another look at the many opportunities a cosmetology license can provide.